Sponsored Content: Fall Maintenance Tips
FALL MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST
Fall is a great time to prepare the home for the upcoming season. It’s also a good reminder to check key areas around the home for defects or repairs.
Share this handy checklist or video with your friends from the nationwide experts at Pillar To Post Home Inspectors:
Interior
- Check ceiling & surfaces around windows for evidence of moisture
- Check caulking around showers, bathtubs, sinks and toilet base
- Verify ceiling areas beneath bathrooms have no leakage
- Ensure all stairs & railings do not have any loose sections
- Test all fire & safety systems regularly, including carbon monoxide (CO) detectors
- Know the location of all gas shut-off valves
Heating & Cooling
- Clean or change furnace filters every three months of operation
- Lubricate fan and motor bearings (only where indicated)
- Check fan belt tension and listen for unusual noises
- Keep area around heating and cooling equipment clear
- For boiler systems, check water level and shut-off valve for leaks
- Have system serviced annually prior to the start of the season
Electrical
- Periodically check exposed wiring and cable, replace as necessary
- Check all lamp cords, extension cords & receptacles for wear
- Trip circuit breakers every six (6) months & ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI’s) monthly to ensure proper function
- Learn location of electrical service panels and label each circuit
- If fuses blow, circuit breakers trip frequently, or any appliance sparks or shorts out, contact a licensed electrician for repairs
Doors & Windows
- Look for loose or missing glazing putty
- Check caulking for deterioration at the openings and joints between dissimilar materials (e.g., wood and masonry)
- Check weather stripping
- Check for broken glass and damaged or missing screens
- Inspect all window and door hardware
Plumbing
- Check all faucets, hose bibbs and supply valves for leaking
- Check for evidence of leaks around and under sinks, showers, toilets and tubs. Check all joints for adequate grout
- Inspect lawn sprinkler system for leaky valves and exposed lines
- Have the septic tank cleaned every two (2) years
- Check the main water shut-off valve for operation and leakage
Roof
- Check for any missing, loose or damaged shingles
- Look for open seams, blisters, bald areas on flat roofs
- Clean gutters, strainers and downspouts. Make sure downspouts divert water away from the foundation
- Verify the attic has no evidence of any leaks
- Check flashing (sheet metal placed on joints of the roof to prevent water seepage) around all surface projections, sidewalls and protrusions
- Trim back all tree limbs and vegetation away from the roof
- Check fascia (board or roof trim) and soffits (connecting the roof overhang and the side of your building) for deterioration and damage
Foundation & Exterior
- Check foundation walls and floors for cracking, heaving, spalling, deterioration or efflorescence
- Inspect chimney for loose, deteriorated or missing mortar or bricks
- Check grading for proper slope away from the foundation
- Verify basement and crawlspace has no moisture or leaks
- Check all wood surfaces for weathering and paint failure
- Inspect all decks, patios, porches, stairs and railings for deterioration
- Cut back and trim all vegetation from structures
About Pillar To Post Home Inspectors
Largest home inspection company in North America, serving 49 states
Over 850 inspectors to serve local communities & real estate professionals
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About the Contributor
Dan Steward is President and CEO of Pillar To Post Home Inspectors, the largest home inspection organization in North America with over 500 offices. Steward has led Pillar To Post since 2004 through the early boom times of rapid expansion, the dark days of the recession and most importantly into the current times of customer-centric, brand-experience driven age of the next era of service provision to Realtors, as well as home buyers and sellers in their quest for “home”.
